i would like to have whatever kit by thanksgiving. i have $150 saved up so far.
im looking to be loud. i dont rly care if it cant honk for longer than 5 seconds.
should i get this kit?
http://www.hornblasters.com/products/details.php?i=shocker-228vx-train-horn-kit
should i wait for a sale?
either that or the conductors special kit. However I would save up for several YEARS and get a set of Nathan K3’s or K5’s.
That’s what I started with…in retrospect I think I wish I had gone with the Conductor 240 because you have more flexibility as to where to put the various components. The 228 is really easy to put together, though…all you have to do is figure out where you’re going to place the horns, park the tank with the compressor, run the hoses and power, and decide how you want the horn button wired. If you look through my writeup you’ll see I kinda got carried away before I got all done…
You could do that one, or save another few bucks and get the Conductor’s Special 232 for $499.
Either way you’ll be happy … until you want to upgrade.
Kris
whats the advantages and disadvantages of buying the conductors 232?
(These are just my personal opinions, obviously)
The way I see it, I like separate components (again, comparing it to the 228VX kit, which is more all-in-one)…so if you want to say, change to a 5 gallon tank, or add another tank, it’s no big deal, just add them to the system (just be aware of the fact that many of the compressors you see are warranty-limited to a max of 5 gallons per compressor). Fittings and air line are simple enough to deal with.
Same thing is true for the compressor. If you want a bigger / faster one, you can either add a 2nd compressor to what you already have, or swap it out. If you add one, you’ll have to deal with stouter wiring, relays, and switches to manage the electrons. Of course the same thing is true if you add a compressor that is a LOT bigger…and in either case you’ll have to find a place to put the added / larger components.
The 232 kit compressor has a slower fill rate than the one in the 240, so that means you’ll be hearing the compressor run longer when you do drop into the refill psi range. The smaller ones are a wee bit quieter, though, so it kinda comes down to your personal tolerance there. My personal choice was to step up to a much bigger single compressor with a higher fill rate, and then deliberately used a reduced pressure switch rating so I wouldn’t be right up against the max that the compressor would handle. I could use a 200 psi cutoff switch and not hurt the compressor, but I wanted it to live longer, so I used a 175 psi cutoff, and a bigger tank. The whole thing is about what compromise you’re willing to live with. What’s good for you may not even touch what someone else just “has to have”…but if it makes you happy, WHO CARES?? 
Bottom line is, based on what you’ve said, it sounds as if your intent is to get something that is really freakin’ loud for “emergency” use, not just for playing around, and for that a 232 kit will be just dandy…but I gotta warn ya, it’s so fun to find reasons to blast 'em you may end up in the same boat I did…spent WAYYY more money on a horn system than anybody with good sense ought to…but I still get a good giggle out of using them for a good blast when someone least expects it! And I still have them available if some joker decides to ignore me and tries to occupy the same spot of highway I’m already using.